Digital reordering unit, ultrasonic front-end device and operating method thereof

ABSTRACT

A digital reordering unit, an ultrasonic front-end device and operating method thereof are provided. The ultrasonic front-end device may be connected between a probe and a detector of the ultrasonic system and controlled by a primary controller of the ultrasonic system, the ultrasonic front-end device having an ultrasonic transmission part and an ultrasonic reception part, wherein the ultrasonic transmission part includes a transmission beamformer and M transmission driving units, and has M transmission channels; the ultrasonic reception part includes M high-voltage isolation circuits, RC amplifiers, RC ADCs and a beamformer electrically serially connected and has RC reception channels, where RC=[N, 2N, 3N . . . p*N], N being an integer larger than or equal to 1, being characterized in that, M low-voltage analog switches and a network of resistors are serially connected between the M high-voltage isolation circuits and the RC amplifiers.

RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No.11/506,630, filed Aug. 18, 2006, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,693,685, which ishereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to ultrasonic diagnostic techniques, especially toan ultrasonic front-end device and operating method thereof and adigital reordering unit for use in the ultrasonic front-end device,which is highly reliable, real-time and consumes less hardwareresources.

BACKGROUND

The ultrasonic front-end device plays an important role in an ultrasonicdiagnostic system. The number of reception channels in an ultrasonicdiagnostic system determines the system cost as well as the systemperformance. There is a need to develop an ultrasonic front-end withgood compatibility to satisfy the requirements of ultrasonic diagnosticsystems with various performances, which may mitigate workload indevelopment of an ultrasonic diagnostic system, thus decreasing cost indevelopment of the ultrasonic diagnostic system and reducing future costin maintenance of the ultrasonic diagnostic system.

When an ultrasonic diagnostic system is carrying out ultrasonictransmissions and receptions, due to the changes of the number of scanlines, the transmission and reception channels will choose to operatedifferent array elements in the probe of the ultrasonic diagnosticsystem every time. Thus, the transmission and reception channels need tobe reordered in both the transmission and reception processing,Reordering methods may be classified into analog reordering and digitalreordering. Compared with analog reordering, digital reordering has theadvantage of having higher reliability and lower cost. Therefore, it isof great importance for the ultrasonic front-end device to have adigital reordering unit, which is highly real time and consumes lesshardware resources.

As shown in FIG. 1, a prior-art ultrasonic system 1 mainly comprises aprobe 2, an ultrasonic front-end 3, a detector 4, a DSC (Digital ScanConversion) unit 5, a display 6, and a primary controller 7, wherein theprimary controller 7 is configured to perform man-machine interactionand control operations of the ultrasonic front-end device 3, thedetector 4 and the DSC unit 5. The ultrasonic front-end device 3includes two parts: an ultrasonic transmission part 31 and an ultrasonicreception part 32. The ultrasonic transmission part 31 comprises atransmission beamformer 311, a transmission drive unit 312 and ahigh-voltage analog switch 313. High-voltage transmission pulsesoriginated from the ultrasonic transmission part 31 are fed into theprobe 2, to activate the array elements 9 included in the probe 2 toemit ultrasonic waves. The probe 2 receives echoes of the ultrasonicwaves, converts them into electric signals and provides the electricsignals to the ultrasonic reception part 32. The ultrasonic receivingpart 32 comprises a high-voltage analog switch 321, a high-voltageisolation circuit 322, an amplifier 323, an analog reordering unit 324,an ADC (Analog-to-Digital Converter) 325 and a reception beamformer 326.The electric signals received from the probe 2 are amplified, analogreordered and AD (Analog-to-Digital) converted and ultimately thereceived beam signals are formed. The detector 4 detects the beamformedsignals received from the ultrasonic front-end 3, so as to acquireinformation to be displayed and feeds the information into the DSC unit5. The DSC unit 5 coordinates transformation of the information andprovides the transformed information to the display 6 for presentation.The analog reordering unit 324 is typically implemented with anexpensive matrix of analog switches or a multi-stage analog switch.

The number of transmission and reception channels (especially thereception channels) in most conventional ultrasonic systems is less thanthe number of array elements Included in the probe, thus high-voltageanalog switches have to be employed to select a suitable number of arrayelements from those included in the probe, for connection to theirrespective channels. The conventional ultrasonic systems may beclassified into two types: type A and type B. For type A, thetransmission and reception channels of an ultrasonic system share asingle high-voltage analog switch and thus one high-voltage analogswitch may be saved. However it brings difficulty in the implementationof synthetic aperture. For type B, the transmission and receptionchannels of an ultrasonic system use their own high-voltage analogswitches, respectively, as shown in FIG. 1. Technical solutionsdisclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,817,862, No. 6,029,116, No. 5,882,307 andNo. 5,551,433 relate to Type B ultrasonic systems, with an advantage ofallowing the aperture of the reception channels and that of thetransmission channels to have different sizes and thus provides apossibility to implement various aperture synthesis techniques.

The conventional ultrasonic system of FIG. 1 has several drawbacks.First, the use of high-voltage analog switches leads to high cost of theultrasonic system. Second, the analog reordering unit adopts amulti-stage analog switch, thus affecting the quality of signalreception. Third, the use of high-voltage analog switches andmulti-stage analog switches results in poor stability of the ultrasonicsystem.

There exists another type of ultrasonic system in the prior arts. Thisultrasonic system is different from the one of FIG. 1 in that itsultrasonic transmission part has digital reordering function, but itsultrasonic reception part has no analog reordering unit and thereception beamformer has digital reordering function. As shown in FIG.2, the ultrasonic transmission part 31 in the ultrasonic system 1comprises a transmission beamformer 311, transmission driving units 312and a high-voltage analog switch 313 connected in a sequential order.Referring to FIG. 3, the transmission beamformer 311 comprises atransmission parameter storing unit 3111 and a transmission parameterdigital reordering unit 3112 whose output is provided to thetransmission driving unit 312. As shown in FIG. 6, a digital reorderingunit 40, such as the transmission parameter digital reordering unit 3112of FIG. 3, comprises M M:1 multiplexers 41 followed by M correspondingD-type flip-flops (DFFs) 42, so as to implement a selection from Minputs to M outputs, where M denotes the number of array elementsincluded in the probe of the ultrasonic system.

Furthermore, the ultrasonic reception part 32 comprises a high-voltageanalog switch 321, a high-voltage Isolation circuit 322, amplifiers 323,ADCs 325 and a reception beamformer 326 with digital reorderingfunction, all of them serially connected. The reception beamformershaving digital reordering function in prior arts may be classified intotwo types. The first type of reception beamformer for performing digitalreordering on the received parameters is shown in FIG. 4. The receptionbeamformer 326 comprises delay units 3281, a delay parameter readcontroller 3262, a delay parameter digital reordering unit 3283,apodization units 3284, an apodization parameter read controller 3265,an apodization parameter digital reordering unit 3288 and an adding unit3267. The reception beamformer 328 delays, apodises and adds the signalsreceived from the ADCs 325, to synthesize the received beam signals. Thesecond type of reception beamformer for performing digital reordering onthe received signals is shown in FIG. 5. The reception beamformer 328comprises a signal digital reordering unit 3288, delay units 3261, adelay parameter read controller 3282, apodization units 3264,anapodization parameter read controller 3265 and an adding unit 3267.The reception beamformer 326 delays, apodises, reorders and adds thesignals received from the ADCs 325, so as to synthesize the receivedbeam signals. The prior art of the digital reordering method is shown inFIG. 6. M M:1 multiplexers are used to complete the selection from MInputs to M outputs. This architecture is not optimal, because the delayfrom the inputs to outputs is large, and it consumes much hardwareresource.

An ultrasonic diagnosing system disclosed in a U.S. patent applicationwith publication No. 20060074317A has a function similar to digitalreordering, but it fails to present a specific structure which may bereal time and consumes less hardware resources.

A Chinese patent application with publication No. CN1649645A disclosesan ultrasonic diagnostic equipment, which comprises an ultrasonictransmission part and an ultrasonic reception part. The ultrasonicreception part comprises a limiter (i.e. isolation circuit), low-voltageanalog switches and ADCs. A cross point switch network is connectedbetween these low-voltage switches and ADCs, for reordering and addingthe received signals and providing the resultant signals to the ADCs forAD conversion. The ultrasonic diagnostic equipment has the drawbacks ofincapable of implementing an ultrasonic system with a different numberof channels.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is made in view of the drawbacks in the prior artsby providing an ultrasonic front-end device and its usage and a digitalreordering unit for use in the ultrasonic front-end device. Theultrasonic front-end device is compatible with ultrasonic diagnosticsystems having different numbers of reception channels and implementedon the same PCB (Print Circuit Board). According to the requirements ofultrasonic diagnostic systems with different numbers of receptionchannels, a corresponding number of amplifiers and ADCs may be solderedon the PCB to implement the corresponding number of reception channels.

In one aspect of the invention, a digital reordering unit for anultrasonic front-end device is provided, comprising a plurality of 2:1multiplexers and a plurality of DFFs coupled thereto correspondingly. Adigital reordering unit with such a configuration implements a selectionfrom M inputs to M outputs, to obtain a pipeline architecture frominputs to outputs, thus making the implementation of an ultrasonicsystem high-speed and real-time.

In another aspect of the invention, there is provided an ultrasonicfront-end device for use in an ultrasonic system which is compatiblewith P types of reception channels, where P is an integer larger than orequal to 1; the ultrasonic front-end device being connected between aprobe and a detector of the ultrasonic system and controlled by aprimary controller of the ultrasonic system; the probe having M arrayelements, where M is an integer larger than or equal to 1, theultrasonic front-end device having an ultrasonic transmission part andan ultrasonic reception part, wherein the ultrasonic transmission partcomprises a transmission beamformer and M transmission driving units,and has M transmission channels; the ultrasonic reception part comprisesM high-voltage isolation circuits, RC amplifiers, RC ADCs and abeamformer electrically connected in said order and has RC receptionchannels, where RC=[N, 2N, 3N, . . . p*N], N being an integer largerthan or equal to 1; the ultrasonic front-end device being characterizedin that, M low-voltage analog switches and a network of resistors areserially connected between the M high-voltage isolation circuits and theRC amplifiers, wherein M low-voltage analog switches are configured toelectrically connect RC array elements of the M array elements in theprobe and the RC respective reception channels in the ultrasonicreception part as the scan lines of the ultrasonic diagnostic systemchange, and the network of resistors configured to connect the RCreception channels connected by the M low-voltage analog switches withthe RC amplifiersthe, the network of resistors comprising M Inputs IN[1,2, 3, . . . , M] connected to the outputs of the low-voltage analogswitches and RC outputs OUT[1, 2, . . . , RC] connected to the inputs ofthe RC amplifiers; the structure of the network of resistors can beexpressed by the following formula: OUT[jj]=IN[jj+kk*RC], indicatingthat the output OUT[jj] and the input IN[jj+kk*RC] of the network ofresistors are connected through resistors, where 1≦jj≦RC,0≦kk≦INT(M/RC), INT denotes taking the integer part, if jj+kk*RC>M,since such an input does not exist, there is no resistor connecting theInput and the output of the network of resistors; and a digitalreordering unit included in the reception beamformer comprises aplurality of 2:1 multiplexers and a plurality of DFFs coupled theretocorrespondingly.

In an embodiment, the low-voltage switches are single-stage analogswitches.

In an embodiment, the connection between the network of resistors andthe low-voltage analog switches and the amplifiers is implementedthrough resistors, wherein based on the number of RC, the correspondingresistors in the network of resistors are soldered with the low-voltageanalog switches and the amplifiers.

In an embodiment, the transmission beamformer comprises a transmissionparameter storage unit and a transmission parameter reordering unit,wherein the outputs from the transmission parameter reordering unitbeing provided to the transmission driving units, and the transmissionparameter reordering unit comprising a plurality of 2:1 multiplexersfollowed with respective DFFs.

In an embodiment, the transmission beamformer sets and stores a set ofordered transmission parameters corresponding to the transmissionchannels respectively, to provide a binary control parameter B[K, K−1,K−2, . . . , 0] which varies as the scan lines of the ultrasonic systemchange, the control parameter controls an array of 2:1 multiplexers toconvert the ordered transmission parameters into parameters for thecurrent transmission channels, the array of 2:1 multiplexers comprisesmultiple stages, each of which stage having M 2:1 multiplexers, each bitof the parameter B controls M 2:1 multiplexers at a corresponding stage,where 2^(K+1)≧M, K being an integer larger than or equal to 0, whereinthe inputs at the 0^(th) stage are the ordered transmission parametersfor the M transmission channels; each bit of the parameter B is used tocontrol M 2:1 multiplexers at a stage: if the bit is 0, the data fromthe “0” inputs of the 2:1 multiplexers are output, otherwise, the dataon the “1” inputs of the 2:1 multiplexers are output the signals on the“1” inputs of the array of 2:1 multiplexers are shifted 2^(K) unitsrightward, the shift complies with the binary coding format and theoutputs from the 2:1 multiplexers at the last stage are M digitallyreordered transmission parameters.

In an embodiment, the reception beamformer that performs digitalreordering on the reception parameters, the digital reordering unitincluded in the reception beamformer comprises delay parameter digitalreordering units and apodization parameter digital reordering units, thedelay parameter digital reordering units and apodization parameterdigital reordering units each comprising a plurality of 2:1 multiplexershaving a “0” Input and a “1” input and DFFs coupled theretocorrespondingly.

In an embodiment, for the reception beamformer that performs digitalreordering on the received signals, the digital reordering unit includedin the reception beamformer comprises multiple stages of 2:1multiplexers and DFFs connected thereafter, each stage comprising P*N2:1 multiplexers having a “0” input and a “1” input and P*N DFFs coupledthereto correspondingly; based on a binary control parameter C[K, K−1,K−2, . . . , 0] which varies as the scan lines of the ultrasonic systemchange, an array of 2:1 multiplexers are controlled to perform digitalreordering on the received signals, the array of 2:1 multiplexersincluding k+1 stages, each stage having P*N 2:1 multiplexers, where2^(K+1)≧P*N, K being an integer larger than or equal to 0, whereinsignals from the ADCs are received at the inputs of the P*N 2:1multiplexers at the O^(th) stage, each bit of the control parameter C isused to control M 2:1 multiplexers at a corresponding stage: if the bitis 0, the data from the “0” inputs of the 2:1 multiplexers are output,otherwise, the data from the “1” inputs of the 2:1 multiplexers areoutput; the signals on the “1” inputs of the array of 2:1 multiplexersare shifted 2^(K) units rightward, for example, the signals on theinputs of the multiplexers at the 0^(th) stage are shifted 1 unitrightward, the signals on the inputs of the multiplexers at the 1^(st)stage are shifted 2 units rightward, the signals on the inputs of themultiplexers at the 2^(nd) stage are shifted 4 units rightward, thesignals on the inputs of the multiplexers at the 3^(rd) stage areshifted 8 units rightward, . . . , and the signals on the inputs of themultiplexers at the K^(th) stage are shifted 2^(K) units rightward, theshift complies with the binary coding format and the outputs from the2:1 multiplexers at the last stage are P*N digitally reordered signals.

In an embodiment, for the reception beamformer that performs digitalreordering on the reception parameters, the digital reordering unitincluded in the reception beamformer comprises delay parameter digitalreordering units and apodization parameter digital reordering units, thedelay parameter digital reordering units and apodization parameterdigital reordering units each comprising multiple stages of 2:1multiplexers and DFFs connected thereafter, each stage having P*N 2:1multiplexers having a “0” input and a “1” input and P*N DFFs coupledthereto correspondingly for the reception beamformer that performsdigital reordering on the reception parameters, the reception beamformersets and stores a set of ordered reception parameters corresponding tothe reception channels respectively, to provide a binary controlparameter C[K, K−1, K−2, . . . , 0] which varies as the scan lines ofthe ultrasonic system change, the control parameter controlling an arrayof 2:1 multiplexers to convert the ordered reception parameters intoparameters for the current reception channels, the array of 2:1multiplexers comprising K+1 stages, each stage having P*N 2:1multiplexers, where 2^(K+1)≧P*N, K being an integer larger than or equalto 0, wherein the inputs of the P*N 2:1 multiplexers at the 0^(th) stageare set to the reception parameters for the corresponding receptionchannels each bit of the parameter C is used to control 2:1 multiplexersat a corresponding stage: if the bit is 0, the data from the “0” inputsof the 2:1 multiplexers are output, otherwise, the data on the “1”inputs of the 2:1 multiplexers are output; the signals on the “1” inputsof the whole array of 2:1 multiplexers are shifted 2^(K) unitsrightward, for example, signals on the inputs of the multiplexers at the0^(th) stage are shifted 1 unit rightward, signals on the inputs of themultiplexers at the 1^(st) stage are shifted 2 units rightward, signalson the inputs of the multiplexers at the 2^(nd) stage are shifted 4units rightward, . . . , and signals on the inputs of the multiplexersat the K^(th) stage are shifted 2^(K) units rightward.

In this way, the ultrasonic diagnostic system using the ultrasonicfront-end may achieves the following beneficial technical effects:

-   -   1. High-voltage analog switches are replaced by low-voltage        analog switches, thus reducing cost of the ultrasonic system;    -   2. Ultrasonic systems with different numbers of channels may be        accommodated through low-voltage analog switches and a network        of resistors, thus improving the compatibility of the ultrasonic        front-end of the ultrasonic diagnostic system; and    -   3. The digital sorting unit has a pipeline architecture from        inputs to outputs, thus making the implementation of an        ultrasonic system high-speed and real-time.

In still another aspect of the invention, there is provided a operatingmethod of an ultrasonic front-end device in an ultrasonic diagnosticsystem, wherein the ultrasonic front-end device is compatible with Ptypes of reception channels, where P is an integer larger than or equalto 1; the ultrasonic front-end device is connected between a probe and adetector of the ultrasonic system and controlled by a primary controllerof the ultrasonic system, the probe comprising M array elements, where Mis an integer larger than or equal to 1, the ultrasonic front-end devicecomprising an ultrasonic transmission part and an ultrasonic receptionpart, wherein the ultrasonic transmission part comprises a transmissionbeamformer and M transmission driving units, and has M transmissionchannels, and the ultrasonic reception part has RC reception channels,where RC=g[N, 2N, 3N . . . p*N], N being an Integer larger than or equalto 1, and comprises M high-voltage isolation circuits, RC amplifiers, RCADCs and a beamformer electrically connected in said order, The methodbeing characterized in that, M low-voltage analog switches and a networkof resistors are serially connected between the M high-voltage isolationcircuits and the RC amplifiers, the M low-voltage analog switches areconfigured to electrically connect RC array elements of the M arrayelements in the probe and the RC corresponding reception channels in theultrasonic reception part as the scan lines of the ultrasonic systemchange; the network of resistors is configured to connect the RCreception channels connected by the M low-voltage analog switches withthe RC amplifiers, the network of resistors comprises M inputs IN[1, 2,3, . . . , M] connected to the outputs of the low-voltage analogswitches and RC outputs OUT[1, 2, . . . , RC] connected to the inputs ofthe amplifiers, the structure of the network of resistors is expressedby the following formula: OUT[jj]=IN[jj+kk*RC], indicating that theoutput OUT[jj] and the input IN[jj+kk*RC] of the network of resistorsare connected through resistors, where 1≦jj≦RC, 0≦kk≦INT(M/RC), INTdenotes taking the integer part, if j+kk*RC>M, since such an input doesnot exist, there Is no resistor connecting the input and the output ofthe network of resistors; and a digital reordering unit Included in thereception beamformer comprises a plurality of 2:1 multiplexers and aplurality of DFFs coupled thereto correspondingly,

the method comprising the steps of:

(1) emitting pulses by the ultrasonic transmission part withtransmission parameters, to activate the currently selected transmissionarray elements in the probe of the ultrasonic system to transmitultrasonic waves;

(2) receiving echoes of the ultrasonic waves and converting them intoelectric signals by the currently selected reception array elements inthe probe;

(3) receiving the electric signals from the probe by the high-voltageisolation circuits in the ultrasonic reception part;

(4) electrically connecting, by the M low-voltage analog switches in theultrasonic reception part, RC array elements of the M array elements inthe probe and RC corresponding reception channels in the ultrasonicreception part as the scan lines of the ultrasonic diagnostic systemchange;

(5) connecting, by the network of resistors, the RC reception channelsconnected by the M low-voltage analog switches with the RC amplifiers;

(6) amplifying and AD converting the received electric signals by theamplifiers and the ADCs in the ultrasonic reception part; and (7)digital reordering the reception parameters or the received signals, andbeam forming by the beamformer in the ultrasonic reception part.

In an embodiment, the step (1) further comprises the substeps of: (1a)setting and storing, by the transmission beamformer in the ultrasonictransmission part, a set of ordered transmission parameterscorresponding to the transmission channels; and (1b) providing, by thetransmission beamformer, a binary control parameter B[K, K−1, K−2, . . ., 0] which varies as the scan lines of the ultrasonic system change; theparameter controls an array of 2:1 multiplexers to convert the orderedtransmission parameters into parameters for the current transmissionchannels; the array of 2:1 multiplexers comprises a plurality of stageseach having M 2:1 multiplexers, each bit of the parameter controls M 2:1multiplexers at a corresponding stage, where 2^(K+1)≧M, K being aninteger larger than or equal to 0; the inputs at the 0^(th) stage arethe ordered transmission parameters for the M transmission channels;each bit of the parameter B is used to control M 2:1 multiplexers at acorresponding stage: if the bit is 0, the data on the “0” inputs of the2:1 multiplexers are output, otherwise, the data on the “1” inputs ofthe 2:1 multiplexers are output; the signals on the “1” inputs of thearray of 2:1 multiplexers are shifted 2^(K) units rightward, forexample, the signals on the inputs of the multiplexers at the 0^(th)stage are shifted 1 unit rightward, the signals on the inputs of themultiplexers at the 1^(st) stage are shifted 2 units rightward, thesignals on the inputs of the multiplexers at the 2^(nd) stage areshifted 4 units rightward, the signals on the inputs of the multiplexersat the 3^(rd) stage are shifted 8 units rightward, . . . , and thesignals on the inputs of the multiplexers at the K^(th) stage areshifted 2^(K) units rightward, the shift complies with the binary codingformat, and the outputs from the 2:1 multiplexers at the last stage areM digitally reordered transmission parameters.

There are two types of digital reordering at the step (7): first,conduct digital reordering on the received signals while no digitalreordering on the reception parameters; second, conduct digitalreordering on the reception parameters while no digital reordering onthe received signals.

In an embodiment, for the reception parameters, the digital reorderingand beam forming at the step (7) comprises the substeps of: (7a) settingand storing a set of ordered reception parameters corresponding to thereception channels, by the reception beamformer in the ultrasonicreception part; and (7b) providing, by the reception beamformer, abinary control parameter C[K, K−1, K−2, . . . , 0] which varies as thescan lines of the ultrasonic system change, the control parametercontrolling an array of 2:1 multiplexers to convert the orderedreception parameters into parameters for the current reception channels;the array of 2:1 multiplexers comprises multiple stages each having P*N2:1 multiplexers, each bit of the parameter controls P*N 2:1multiplexers at a corresponding stage, where 2^(K+1)≧P*N, K being aninteger larger than or equal to 0, wherein all the inputs of the P*N 2:1multiplexers at the 0^(th) stage are the reception parameters for thecorresponding reception channels; each bit of the parameter C is used tocontrol 2:1 multiplexers at a corresponding stage: if the bit is 0, thedata from the “0” inputs of the 2:1 multiplexers are output, otherwise,the data from the “1” inputs of the 2:1 multiplexers are output; thesignals on the “1” inputs of the whole array of 2:1 multiplexers areshifted 2^(K) units rightward, for example, the signals on the “1”inputs of the multiplexers at the 0^(th) stage are shifted 1 unitrightward, the signals on the “1” inputs of the multiplexers at the1^(st) stage are shifted 2 units rightward, the signals on the “1”inputs of the multiplexers at the 2^(nd) stage are shifted 4 unitsrightward, . . . , and the signals on the “1” inputs of the multiplexersat the K^(th) stage are shifted 2^(K) units rightward.

In an embodiment, for the received signals, the digital reordering andbeam forming at the step (7) comprises a substep of: providing, by thereception beamformer, a binary control parameter C[K, K−1, K−2, . . . ,0] which varies as the scan lines of the ultrasonic system change, thecontrol parameter controls an array of 2:1 multiplexers; the array of2:1 multiplexers includes k+1 stages each having P*N 2:1 multiplexers,where 2^(K+1)≧P*N, K being an integer larger than or equal to 0, whereinsignals from the ADCs are received by the inputs of the P*N 2:1multiplexers at the O^(th) stage, each bit of the control parameter C isused to control P*N 2:1 multiplexers at a corresponding stage: if thebit is 0, the data from the “0” inputs of the 2:1 multiplexers areoutput, otherwise, the data from the “1” inputs of the 2:1 multiplexersare output; the signals on the “1” inputs of the array of 2:1multiplexers are shifted 2^(K) units rightward, for example, the signalson the inputs of the multiplexers at the 0^(th) stage are shifted 1 unitrightward, the signals on the inputs of the multiplexers at the 1^(st)stage are shifted 2 units rightward, the signals on the inputs of themultiplexers at the 2^(nd) stage are shifted 4 units rightward, thesignals on the inputs of the multiplexers at the 3^(rd) stage areshifted 8 units rightward, . . . , and the signals on the inputs of themultiplexers at the K^(th) stage are shifted 2^(K) units rightward, theshift complies with the binary coding format, and the outputs from the2:1 multiplexers at the last stage are P*N digitally reordered signals.

The aforementioned technical solutions lead to implementation of ahigh-speed and real-time ultrasonic system, improvement in thecompatibility for the ultrasonic front-end of the ultrasonic system andcost saving for the ultrasonic system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an ultrasonicsystem in prior arts;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of anotherultrasonic system in prior arts;

FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a transmissionbeamformer with digital reordering function in prior arts;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a receptionbeamformer with digital reordering function in prior arts;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a receptionbeamformer with digital reordering function in prior arts;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing the digital reordering unit of FIGS. 3-5;

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a digital reordering unit according to oneembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an ultrasonicfront-end device in an ultrasonic system according to one embodiment ofthe invention;

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing the configuration of an ultrasonic front-endreception unit in an ultrasonic system according to one embodiment ofthe invention;

FIG. 10 shows the principle of the network of resistors in FIG. 8 andFIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a method of using the compatibility of anultrasonic front-end device in an ultrasonic system according to oneembodiment of the invention;

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the digital reordering in the transmissionbeam forming according to the invention; and

FIG. 13 is a diagram showing the digital reordering in the receptionbeam forming according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Detailed descriptions will be made below to the invention with referenceto embodiments shown in accompanying drawings.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of a digitalreordering unit 45 according to one embodiment of the invention. Asshown in the figure, the digital reordering unit 45 comprises aplurality of 2:1 multiplexers 51 and a plurality of DFFs 52 coupledthereto correspondingly.

FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an ultrasonicfront-end device 3 in an ultrasonic diagnostic system 1 according to oneembodiment of the invention. As shown in the figure, the ultrasonicsystem 1 mainly comprises a probe 2, an ultrasonic front-end 3, adetector 4, a DSC (Digital Scan Conversion) unit 5, a display 6 and aprimary controller 7. The probe 2 has M array elements, where M is aninteger larger than or equal to 1. The ultrasonic front-end 3 isequipped with an ultrasonic transmission part 31 comprising atransmission beamformer 311 and M transmission driving units 312, andhas M transmission channels, and an ultrasonic reception part 32comprises a high-voltage isolation circuit 322, RC amplifiers 324, RCADCs 325 and a reception beamformer 326 electrically connected in saidorder and has RC reception channels, wherein RC [N, 2N, 3N . . . p*N], Nbeing an integer larger than or equal to 1. The ultrasonic front-enddevice characterizes in that M low-voltage analog switches 327 and anetwork of resistors 328 are serially connected between the high-voltageisolation circuit 322 and the RC amplifiers 324. The M low-voltageanalog switches 327 are configured to electrically connect RC arrayelements of the M array elements in the probe 2 and the RC correspondingreception channels in the ultrasonic reception part 3 as the scan linesof the ultrasonic diagnostic system change. The network of resistors 328is configured to connect the RC reception channels connected by the Mlow-voltage analog switches 327 and the RC amplifiers 324, as shown inFIG. 7 and FIG. 8. The network of resistors 328 is used to be compatiblewith a system having P types of reception channels, comprising M inputsIN[1, 2, 3, . . . , M] connected to the outputs of the low-voltageanalog switches 326 and RC outputs OUT[1, 2, . . . , RC] connected tothe inputs of the amplifiers 324. The structure of the network ofresistors can be expressed by OUT[jj]=IN[jj+kk*RC], indicating that theoutput OUT[jj] and the input IN[jj+kk*RC] of the network of resistors328 are connected through resistors, where 1≦jj≦RC, 0≦kk≦INT(M/RC), INTdenotes taking the integer part. If jj+kk*RC>M, since such an Input doesnot exist, there is no resistor connecting the input and the output ofthe network of resistors 328. A digital reordering unit included in thereception beamformer 328 comprises a plurality of 2:1 multiplexers 51and a plurality of DFFs 52 coupled thereto correspondingly. Theultrasonic front-end device 3 may be implemented on a PCB. For anultrasonic diagnostic system 1 having a different number of receptionchannels, a different network of resistors 328 may be soldered on thePCB of the ultrasonic front-end device 3 and a corresponding number ofamplifiers 324 and ADCs 325 may be soldered on the PCB. In this way,compatibility with an ultrasonic diagnostic system 1 having P types ofand a different number (RC) of reception channels may be implemented bymeans of the same PCB.

The low-voltage analog switches 327 comprise a plurality of single-stageanalog switches connected to the respective reception array elements inthe probe through the isolation circuit 321 and are under the control ofthe primary controller 7. Assume the number of the reception arrayelements in the probe 2 is M, when the scan lines of the ultrasonicsystem 1 change, the corresponding reception channels changeaccordingly. By means of these analog switches 327, the ultrasonicsystem 1 may select RC out of the M array elements for reception anddisable the other array elements not involved in the reception.

The connection between the network of resistors 328 and the low-voltageanalog switches 327 and the amplifiers 324 is implemented throughresistors, wherein based on the number of RC, the correspondingresistors in the network of resistors 328 are soldered with thelow-voltage analog switches 327 and the amplifiers 324.

As shown in FIG. 9, the network of resistors 328 implements electricalconnection between the selected array elements and the respectivereception channels, accordingly it comprises M Inputs and RC outputs.When the maximum number of ultrasonic systems 1 that the ultrasonicfront-end 2 can accommodate is P, the network of resistors 328 designedin accordance with the electrical connection relationship allows theultrasonic system 1 to be compatible with an ultrasonic front-end havingreception channel numbers of N, 2N, 3N, . . . , or P*N. The electricalconnection may be implemented by resistors. As shown in FIG. 10, whenRC=N, the outputs OUT[1, 2, 3, . . . , N] and the inputs IN[1, 2, 3 . .. , M] of the network of resistors 328 are electrically connected byresistors (the connections are shown by dots), while OUT[N+1, N+2, . . ., P*N] are not electrically connected. When RC=2N, the rectangular boxesrepresent the electrical connection between the outputs OUT[1, 2, 3, . .. , 2N] and the inputs IN[1, 2, 3, . . . , M], while OUT[2N+1, 2N+2, . .. , P*N] are not electrically connected. When RC=the maximum number ofchannels P*N, the circles represent the electrical connection betweenthe outputs OUT[1, 2, 3, . . . , P*N] and the inputs IN[1, 2, 3, . . . ,M]. In this way, in design of the same PCB, when the network ofresistors 328 is designed to meet the requirement of an ultrasonicsystem having different number of reception channels, the union set ofthe connection relationships of the resistors in various compatibleultrasonic systems may be used to design the connection between thenetwork of resistors, to remove redundancy and reduce the number ofresistors. In this manner, for an ultrasonic system having N receptionchannels, the amplifiers 324 and the ADCs located after the network ofresistors 328 need to have only N paths soldered. For an ultrasonicsystem having 2N reception channels, the amplifiers 324 and the ADCslocated after the network of resistors 328 need to have only 2N pathssoldered. For an ultrasonic system having P*N reception channels, theamplifiers 324 and the ADCs located after the network of resistors 328need to have only P*N paths solder. Therefore, the compatibility with anultrasonic diagnostic system having P types of reception channels may beachieved by using a single PCB, which Improves the compatibility of theultrasonic front-end device 3 of the ultrasonic system 1 and reduces thecost of the ultrasonic system 1.

For the transmission beamformer 311 that performs digital reordering onthe transmission parameters, its digital reordering unit comprises aplurality of delay parameter digital reordering units 3111. For thetransmission beamformer that performs digital reordering on thetransmission signals, its digital reordering unit is a single digitalreordering unit 3118, comprising a plurality of 2:1 multiplexers 51 anda plurality of DFFs 52 coupled thereto correspondingly.

As shown in FIG. 12, the transmission beamformer 311 is configured tostore a set of ordered transmission parameters corresponding to therespective transmission channels, to provide a binary control parameterB[K, K−1, K−2, 0] which varies as the scan lines of the ultrasonicsystem change, for controlling an array of 2:1 multiplexers 51 toconvert the ordered transmission parameters into parameters for thecurrent transmission channels. The array of 2:1 multiplexers 51comprises a plurality of stages each having M 2:1 multiplexers. Each bitof the parameter controls M 2:1 multiplexers at a corresponding stage,wherein 2^(K+1)≧M and K is an integer larger than or equal to 0. Theinputs at the 0^(th) stage are the transmission parameters for the Mtransmission channels. Each bit of the parameter B is used to control M2:1 multiplexers at a stage: if the bit is 0, the data from the “0”inputs of the 2:1 multiplexers are output, otherwise, the data from the“1” inputs of the 2:1 multiplexers are output. The signals on the “1”inputs of the array of 2:1 multiplexers are shifted 2^(K) unitsrightward, for example, the signals on the “1” inputs of themultiplexers at the 0^(th) stage are shifted 1 unit rightward, thesignals on the “1” inputs of the multiplexers at the 1^(st) stage areshifted 2 units rightward, the signals on the “1” inputs of themultiplexers at the 2^(nd) stage are shifted 4 units rightward, signalson the “1” the inputs of the multiplexers at the 3^(rd) stage areshifted 8 units rightward, . . . , and the signals on the “1” inputs ofthe multiplexers at the K^(th) stage are shifted 2^(K) units rightward.The shift is in accordance with the binary coding format and the outputsfrom the 2:1 multiplexers at the last stage are M digitally reorderedtransmission parameters.

The reception beamformer 326 may be classified into two types. Areception beamformer 326 for performing digital reordering on thereceived parameters, comprises delay units 3261, a delay parameter readcontroller 3262, a delay parameter digital reordering unit 3263,apodization units 3264, an apodization parameter read controller 3266,an apodization parameter digital reordering unit 3266 and an adding unit3287, The reception beamformer 326 delays, apodises, reorders and addsthe signals received from the ADCs 325, to synthesize the received beamsignals. The delay parameter digital reordering unit 3263 and theapodization parameter digital reordering unit 3266 each comprisesmultiple stages each of which has P″N 2:1 multiplexers 51 followed withP*N corresponding DFFs 52. A reception beamformer 326 for performingdigital reordering on the received signals comprises a digitalreordering unit 3288, delay units 3261, a delay parameter readcontroller 3282, apodization unite 3284, an apodization parameter readcontroller 3285 and an adding unit 3267. The reception beamformer 328reorders, delays, apodises and adds the signals received from the ADC325, to synthesize the received beam signals. The signal digitalreordering unit 3288 comprises multiple stages each having P*N 2:1multiplexers 51 followed by the corresponding DFFs 52.

As shown in FIG. 13, when digitally reordering the reception parameters,the reception beamformer 326 is configured to store a set of orderedreception parameters corresponding to the reception channels. Theparameter controls an array of 2:1 multiplexers to convert the orderedreception parameters into parameters for the current reception channels.The array of 2:1 multiplexers comprises multiple stages, each of whichhas P*N 2:1 multiplexers 51. Each bit of the parameter is used tocontrol P*N 2:1 multiplexers 51 at a corresponding stage, where2^(K+1)≧P*N, and K is an integer larger than or equal to 0. The inputsof the P*N 2:1 multiplexers 51 at the 0^(th) stage is set to the orderedreception parameters for the corresponding reception channels. Each bitof the parameter C is used to control 2:1 multiplexers 51 at a stage: ifthe bit is 0, the data from the “0” inputs of the 2:1 multiplexers areoutput, otherwise, the data from the “1” inputs of the 2:1 multiplexersare output. The signals on the “1” inputs of the whole array are shiftedrightward, the multiplexers at the 0^(th) stage are shifted 1 unitrightward, the signals on the “1” inputs of the multiplexers at the1^(st) stage are shifted 2 units rightward, the signals on the “1”inputs of the multiplexers at the 2^(nd) stage are shifted 4 unitsrightward, the signals on the “1” inputs of the multiplexers at the3^(rd) stage are shifted 8 units rightward, . . . , and the signals onthe “1” inputs of the multiplexers at the K^(th) stage are shifted 2^(K)units rightward. The shift complies with the binary coding format andthe outputs from the 2:1 multiplexers 51 at the last stage are P*Ndigitally reordered parameters.

When digitally reordering the received signals, signals from the ADCs325 are received at the input of the reception beamformer 328, whichperforms digital reordering on the received signals in a manner similarto digital reordering on the reception parameters. The receptionbeamformer 328 outputs ordered channel signals.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart showing a method of using an ultrasonic front-enddevice 3 in an ultrasonic system 1 according to one embodiment of theinvention. As shown in FIG. 8, the ultrasonic front-end device 3 isconnected between a probe 2 and a detector 4 of the ultrasonic system 1and controlled by a primary controller 7 of the ultrasonic system. Theprobe 2 has M array elements. The ultrasonic front-end device 3 has anultrasonic transmission part 31 and an ultrasonic reception part 32,wherein the ultrasonic transmission part 31 comprises a transmissionbeamformer 311 and a transmission driving unit 312, while the ultrasonicreception part 32 has RC reception channels and comprises a high-voltageisolation circuit 322, RC amplifiers 324, RC ADCs 325 and a beamformer326 electrically connected in said order, where RC=[N, 2N, 3N . . .p*N], N being an integer larger than or equal to 1. The ultrasonicfront-end device characterizes in that M low-voltage analog switches 327and a network of resistors 318 are serially connected between thehigh-voltage isolation circuit 322 and the RC amplifiers 324, whereinthe M low-voltage analog switches 327 is configured to electricallyconnect RC array elements of the M array elements in the probe 2 and RCrespective reception channels In the ultrasonic reception part 3 as thescan lines of the ultrasonic system change. The network of resistors 328is configured to connect the RC reception channels connected by the Mlow-voltage analog switches 327 and the RC amplifiers 324. The networkof resistors 328 comprises M inputs IN[1, 2, 3, . . . , M] connected tothe outputs of the low-voltage analog switches 327 and RC outputs OUT[1,2, . . . , RC] connected to the inputs of the amplifiers 324. Thestructure of the network of resistors can be expressed byOUT[jj]=IN[jj+kk*RC], indicating that the output OUT[jj] and the inputIN[jj+kk*RC] of the network of resistors 328 are connected throughresistors, where 1≦jj≦RC, 0≦kk≦INT(M/RC), INT denotes taking the integerpart. If j+kk*RC>M, since such an input does not exist, there is noresistor connecting the input and the output of the network of resistors328. A digital reordering unit included in the reception beamformer 328comprises a plurality of 2:1 multiplexers 51 having a “0” Input and a“1” input and the DFFs 62 coupled thereto correspondingly, the methodcomprising the steps of:

1. emitting pulses by the ultrasonic transmission part 31 withtransmission parameters, to activate the currently selected transmissionarray elements in the probe 2 of the ultrasonic system 2 to transmitultrasonic waves;

2. receiving echoes of the ultrasonic waves and converting them intoelectric signals by the currently selected reception array elements inthe probe 2;

3. receiving electric signals from the probe by the high-voltageisolation circuit;

4. electrically connecting, by the M low-voltage analog switches 321 inthe ultrasonic reception part 32, RC array elements of the M arrayelements in the probe 2 and RC corresponding reception channels in theultrasonic reception part 32 as the scan lines of the ultrasonic system1 change;

5. connecting, by the network of resistors 328, the RC receptionchannels connected by the M low-voltage analog switches 327 with the RCamplifiers 324;

6. amplifying and AD converting the received electric signals by theamplifiers 324 and the ADCs 326 in the ultrasonic reception part 32; and

7. digital reordering and beamforming the reception parameters or thereceived signals by the beamformer 326 in the ultrasonic reception part32.

Step 1 comprises the substeps of: (1a) setting and storing a set ofordered transmission parameters corresponding to the M transmissionchannels, by the transmission beamformer 311 in the ultrasonictransmission part 31; and (1b) providing, by the transmission beamformer311, a binary control parameter B[K, K−1, K−2, . . . , 0] which variesas the scan lines of the ultrasonic system change. The parametercontrols an array of 2:1 multiplexers to convert the orderedtransmission parameters into parameters for the current transmissionchannels. The array of 2:1 multiplexers comprises a plurality of stageseach having M 2:1 multiplexers 51. Each bit of the parameter controls M2:1 multiplexers 51 at a corresponding stage, wherein 2^(K+1)≧M, K is aninteger larger than or equal to 0. The inputs at the 0^(th) stage arethe ordered transmission parameters for the M transmission channels.Each bit of the parameter B is used to control M 2:1 multiplexers 51 ata stage: if the bit is 0, the data from the “0” inputs of the 2:1multiplexers 51 are output, otherwise, the data from the “1” inputs ofthe 2:1 multiplexers 51 are output. The signals on the “1” inputs of thearray of 2:1 multiplexers are shifted 2^(K) units rightward, forexample, the signals on the inputs of the multiplexers 51 at the 0^(th)stage are shifted 1 unit rightward, the signals on the inputs of themultiplexers 51 at the 1^(st) stage are shifted 2 units rightward, thesignals on the inputs of the multiplexers 51 at the 2^(nd) stage areshifted 4 units rightward, the signals on the inputs of the multiplexers51 at the 3^(rd) stage are shifted 8 units rightward, . . . , and thesignals on the inputs of the multiplexers 51 at the K^(th) stage areshifted 2^(K) units rightward. The shift complies with the binary codingformat and the outputs from the 2:1 multiplexers at the last stage are Mdigitally reordered transmission parameters.

There are two types of digital reordering at the step 7: first, conductdigital reordering on the received signals while no digital reorderingon the reception parameters; second, conduct digital reordering on thereception parameters while no digital reordering on the receivedsignals.

For the reception parameters, the digital reordering and beam forming atthe step 7 comprise the substeps of: (7a) setting and storing a set ofordered reception parameters corresponding to the reception channels, bythe reception beamformer 326 in the ultrasonic reception part 32; and(7b) providing, by the reception beamformer 326, a binary controlparameter C[K, K−1, K−2, . . . , 0] which varies as the scan lines ofthe ultrasonic system 1 change. The control parameter controls an arrayof 2:1 multiplexers to convert the ordered reception parameters intoparameters for the current reception channels. The array of 2:1multiplexers comprises multiple stages, each of which has P*N 2:1multiplexers 51. Each bit of the parameter controls P*N 2:1 multiplexersat a corresponding stage, where 2^(K+1)≧P*N and K is an integer largerthan or equal to 0, wherein the inputs of the P*N 2:1 multiplexers 51 atthe 0^(th) stage are the reception parameters for the correspondingreception channels. Each bit of the parameter C is used to control 2:1multiplexers 51 at a corresponding stage: if the bit is 0, the data fromthe “0” inputs of the 2:1 multiplexers 51 are output, otherwise, thedata from the “1” inputs of the 2:1 multiplexers 51 are output. Thesignals on the “1” inputs of the whole array of 2:1 multiplexers 51 areshifted 2^(K) units rightward, for example, the signals on the “1”inputs of the multiplexers 51 at the 0^(th) stage are shifted 1 unitrightward, the signals on the “1” inputs of the multiplexers 51 at the1^(st) stage are shifted 2 units rightward, the signals on the “1”inputs of the multiplexers 51 at the 2^(nd) stage are shifted 4 unitsrightward, . . . , and the signals on the “1” inputs of the multiplexers51 at the K^(th) stage are shifted 2^(K) units rightward.

For the received signals, the digital reordering and beam forming at thestep 7 comprises the substeps of: providing, by the reception beamformer326, a binary control parameter C[K, K−1, K−2, . . . , 0] which variesas the scan lines of the ultrasonic system 1 change. The controlparameter controls an array of 2:1 multiplexers, the array of 2:1multiplexers including k+1 stages, each stage having P*N 2:1multiplexers 51, where 2^(K+1)≧P*N, and K is an integer larger than orequal to 1. Signals from the ADCs are received at the inputs of the P*N2:1 multiplexers 51 at the 0^(th) stage. Each bit of the parameter C isused to control M 2:1 multiplexers 51 at a stage: if the bit is 0, thedata from the “0” inputs of the 2:1 multiplexers 51 are output,otherwise, the data from the “1” inputs of the 2:1 multiplexers 51 areoutput. The signals on the “1” inputs of the array of 2:1 multiplexers51 are shifted 2^(K) units rightward, for example, the signals on the“1” inputs of the multiplexers 51 at the 0^(th) stage are shifted 1 unitrightward, the signals on the “1” inputs of the multiplexers 51 at the1^(st) stage are shifted 2 units rightward, the signals on the “1”inputs of the multiplexers 51 at the 2^(nd) stage are shifted 4 unitsrightward, the signals on the “1” inputs of the multiplexers 51 at the3^(rd) stage are shifted 8 units rightward, . . . , and the signals onthe “1” inputs of the multiplexers 51 at the K^(th) stage are shifted2^(K) units rightward. The shift complies with the binary coding formatand the outputs from the 2:1 multiplexers 51 at the last stage are P*Nof digitally reordered signals.

The above-mentioned various solutions provide compatibility for anultrasonic front-end device in an ultrasonic system and reduce the costof the ultrasonic system. The digital reordering unit for use in theultrasonic front-end has advantages in being highly real time and lessconsumption of hardware resources.

The inventive method is tested in experiments, leading to implementationof a high-speed and real-time ultrasonic system as well as improvementin the compatibility for the ultrasonic front-end of the ultrasonicsystem and cost saving for the ultrasonic system.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention have thus been shown anddescribed. It would be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art,however, that various variations, alternatives and alterations may bemade to the embodiments herein disclosed without departing from thespirit or scope of the invention.

1. A digital reordering unit of an ultrasonic system for use in anultrasonic front-end device, the digital reordering unit receiving a setof ordered parameters that are arranged according to respective channelsof the ultrasonic front-end device, the ordered parameters used forprocessing electrical signals corresponding to the respective channels,comprising: a plurality of stages, each stage comprising a plurality ofmultiplexers and a plurality of D-type flip-flops (DFFs) coupled theretocorrespondingly; wherein inputs of a first stage receive the set ofordered parameters, and wherein outputs of the first stage are providedto inputs of a second stage to selectively reorder the orderedparameters based on changes in scan lines of the ultrasonic system;wherein the set of ordered parameters comprises a set of orderedtransmission parameters, wherein the ultrasonic front-end is connectedbetween a probe and a detector and includes a transmission beamformerconfigured to store the set of transmission parameters corresponding torespective transmission channels, wherein the reordered parameterscomprise the transmission parameters, wherein the probe comprises Mnumber of array elements where M is an integer larger than or equal to1, and wherein each stage comprises M number of 2:1 multiplexersfollowed with respective DFFs; and wherein the transmission beamformeris configured to provide a control parameter which varies as the scanlines of the ultrasonic system change, wherein each bit of the controlparameter controls M 2:1 multiplexers at a corresponding stage, whereininputs at the first stage comprise the transmission parameters for Mtransmission channels.
 2. The digital reordering unit of claim 1,wherein the control parameter comprises a binary control parameter B[K,K−1, K−2, . . . , 0], where 2^(K+1)≧M, K being an integer larger than orequal to zero and corresponding to a respective stage.
 3. The digitalreordering unit of claim 2, wherein each 2:1 multiplexer comprises afirst input and a second input, wherein signals on the second inputs ofthe 2:1 multiplexers are shifted 2^(K) units laterally from one stage tothe next, the shift complying with a binary coding format, and whereinoutput from the 2:1 multiplexers at a last stage comprise M digitallyreordered transmission parameters.
 4. The digital reordering unit ofclaim 1, wherein the set of ordered parameters comprises a set ofreception parameters, wherein the ultrasonic front-end is connectedbetween a probe and a detector and includes a reception beamformerconfigured to store the set of reception parameters corresponding torespective RC number of reception channels, wherein the reorderedparameters comprise the reception parameters, wherein the ultrasonicfront-end device is compatible with P types of reception channels whereP is an integer larger than or equal to 1, wherein RC=[N, 2N, 3N, . . ., P*N] where N is an integer larger than or equal to 1, and wherein eachstage comprises P*N number of 2:1 multiplexers followed with respectiveDFFs.
 5. The digital reordering unit of claim 4, wherein the receptionparameters are selected from the group comprising delay parameters andapodization parameters.
 6. The digital reordering unit of claim 4,wherein the reception beamformer is configured to provide a binarycontrol parameter C[K, K−1, K−2, . . . , 0] which varies as the scanlines of the ultrasonic system change, wherein each bit of the binarycontrol parameter C[K, K−1, K−2, . . . , 0] controls P*N 2:1multiplexers at a corresponding stage, wherein the digital reorderingunit comprises K+1 stages, 2^(K+1)≧P*N, K being an integer larger thanor equal to zero, and wherein inputs at the first stage comprise thereception parameters for the RC reception channels.
 7. The digitalreordering unit of claim 6, wherein each 2:1 multiplexer comprises afirst input and a second input, wherein signals on the second inputs ofthe 2:1 multiplexers are shifted 2^(K) units laterally from one stage tothe next, the shift complying with a binary coding format, and whereinoutput from the 2:1 multiplexers at a last stage comprise P*N digitallyreordered reception parameters.
 8. An ultrasonic front-end device,comprising: an ultrasonic transmission part for emitting pulses toactivate currently selected transmission array elements in a probe of anultrasonic system to transmit ultrasonic waves; and an ultrasonicreception part for receiving electric signals from currently selectedreception array elements in the probe, the received electric signalshaving an order based on the currently selected reception arrayelements, the received electric signals corresponding to echoes of thetransmitted ultrasonic waves, the ultrasonic reception part comprising afirst digital reordering unit for reordering the received electricalsignals, the first digital reordering unit comprising: a plurality ofstages, each stage comprising a plurality of multiplexers and aplurality of D-type flip-flops (DFFs) coupled thereto correspondingly;wherein the received electric signals are applied to inputs of a firststage according to the order based on the currently selected receptionarray elements, and wherein outputs of the first stage are provided toinputs of a second stage to selectively reorder the received electricalsignals based on changes in scan lines of the ultrasonic system; whereinthe ultrasonic reception part further comprises RC number of receptionchannels, wherein the ultrasonic front-end device is compatible with Ptypes of reception channels where P is an integer larger than or equalto 1, wherein RC=[N, 2N, 3N, . . . , P*N] where N is an integer largerthan or equal to 1, and wherein each stage of the first digitalreordering unit comprises P*N number of 2:1 multiplexers followed withrespective DFFs; and wherein the ultrasonic reception part furthercomprises a reception beamformer configured to provide a binary controlparameter C[K, K−1, K−2, . . . , 0] which varies as the scan lines ofthe ultrasonic system change, wherein each bit of the binary controlparameter C[K, K−1, K−2, . . . , 0] controls P*N 2:1 multiplexers at acorresponding stage of the first digital reordering unit, wherein thefirst digital reordering unit comprises K+1 stages, 2^(K+1)>=P*N, Kbeing an integer larger than or equal to zero, and wherein inputs at thefirst stage comprise the received electrical signals for the RCreception channels.
 9. The ultrasonic front-end of claim 8, wherein each2:1 multiplexer comprises a first input and a second input, whereinsignals on the second inputs of the 2:1 multiplexers are shifted 2^(K)units laterally from one stage to the next, the shift complying with abinary coding format, and wherein output from the 2:1 multiplexers at alast stage comprise P*N digitally reordered electrical signals.
 10. Theultrasonic front-end of claim 8, wherein the ultrasonic reception partfurther comprises: M number of high-voltage isolation circuits, whereinM represents a number of array elements in the probe of the ultrasonicsystem; and M number of low-voltage analog switches electricallyconnected to the M high-voltage isolation circuits, the M low-voltageanalog switches configured to connect RC number of the array elements inthe probe to RC number of respective reception channels in theultrasonic reception part as the scan lines of the ultrasonic diagnosticsystem change.
 11. The ultrasonic front-end of claim 10, wherein theultrasonic reception part further comprises: a network of resistorselectrically connected to the M low-voltage analog switches; RC numberof amplifiers electrically connected to the network of resistors, thenetwork of resistors comprising M number of inputs IN[1, 2, 3, . . . ,M] connected to respective outputs of the M low-voltage analog switchesand RC number of outputs OUT[1, 2, . . . , RC] connected to respectiveinputs of the RC amplifiers; RC number of analog-to-digital converters(ADCs) electrically connected to the RC amplifiers; and a receptionbeamformer electrically connected to the RC ADCs, the receptionbeamformer comprising the first digital reordering unit and configuredfor beamforming the reordered electrical signals.
 12. The ultrasonicfront-end of claim 11, wherein a structure of the network of resistorscan be expressed by the following formula: OUT[jj]=IN[jj+kk*RC],indicating that the output OUT[jj] and the input IN[jj+kk*RC] of thenetwork of resistors are connected through resistors, where 1<=jj<=RC,0<=kk<=INT(M/RC), INT denotes taking the integer part, if jj+kk*RC>M.13. The ultrasonic front-end of claim 8, wherein the ultrasonicreception part further comprises: a reception beamformer configured tostore a set of ordered reception parameters that are arranged accordingto respective reception channels of an RC number of reception channels,the set of ordered parameters comprising ordered delay parameters andordered apodization parameters; one or more second digital reorderingunits for reordering delay parameters of the reception parameters; andone or more third digital reordering units for reordering the orderedapodization parameters of the reception parameters; wherein the one ormore second digital reordering units and the one or more third digitalreordering units each comprise: a plurality of stages, each stagecomprising a plurality of multiplexers and a plurality of DFFs coupledthereto correspondingly; wherein outputs of one stage are provided toinputs of another stage to selectively reorder the ordered receptionparameters based on changes in scan lines of the ultrasonic system. 14.The ultrasonic front-end of claim 13, wherein the ultrasonic front-enddevice is compatible with P types of reception channels where P is aninteger larger than or equal to 1, wherein RC=[N, 2N, 3N, . . . , P*N]where N is an integer larger than or equal to 1, and wherein each stageof the one or more second reordering units and the one or more thirdreordering units comprises P*N number of 2:1 multiplexers followed withrespective DFFs.
 15. The ultrasonic front-end of claim 13, wherein thereception beamformer is configured to provide a binary control parameterC[K, K−1, K−2, . . . , 0] which varies as the scan lines of theultrasonic system change, wherein each bit of the binary controlparameter C[K, K−1, K−2, . . . , 0] controls P*N 2:1 multiplexers at acorresponding stage of the one or more second reordering units and theone or more third reordering units, wherein the one or more seconddigital reordering units and the one or more third reordering units eachcomprise K+1 stages, 2^(K+1)≧P*N, K being an integer larger than orequal to zero, and wherein inputs at an initial stage comprise thecorresponding reception parameters for the RC reception channels. 16.The ultrasonic front-end of claim 15, wherein each 2:1 multiplexer ofthe one or more second digital reordering units and the one or morethird reordering units comprises a first input and a second input,wherein signals on the second inputs of the 2:1 multiplexers are shifted2^(K) units laterally from one stage to the next, the shift complyingwith a binary coding format, and wherein output from the 2:1multiplexers at a last stage of each of the one or more second digitalreordering units and the one or more third reordering units comprise P*Ndigitally reordered reception parameters.
 17. The ultrasonic front-endof claim 8, wherein the ultrasonic transmission part comprises: atransmission beamformer configured to store a set of transmissionparameters corresponding to respective transmission channels; Mtransmission driving units electrically connected to the transmissionbeamformer for driving up to M array elements in the probe of theultrasonic system, where M is an integer larger than or equal to 1; anda second digital reordering unit comprising a plurality of stages, eachstage of the second digital reordering unit comprising M number of 2:1multiplexers followed with respective DFFs.
 18. The ultrasonic front-endof claim 17, wherein the transmission beamformer is configured toprovide a control parameter which varies as the scan lines of theultrasonic system change, wherein each bit of the control parametercontrols M 2:1 multiplexers at a corresponding stage of the seconddigital reordering unit, wherein inputs at an initial stage of thesecond reordering unit comprise the transmission parameters for Mtransmission channels.
 19. The ultrasonic front-end of claim 18, whereinthe control parameter comprises a binary control parameter B[K, K−1,K−2, . . . , 0], where 2^(K+1)≧M, K being an integer larger than orequal to zero and corresponding to a respective stage of the secondreordering unit.
 20. The ultrasonic front-end of claim 19, wherein each2:1 multiplexer of the second reordering unit comprises a first inputand a second input, wherein signals on the second inputs of the 2:1multiplexers are shifted 2^(K) units laterally from one stage to thenext in the second reordering unit, the shift complying with a binarycoding format, and wherein output from the 2:1 multiplexers at a laststage of the second reordering unit comprise M digitally reorderedtransmission parameters.
 21. A digital reordering unit of an ultrasonicsystem for use in an ultrasonic front-end device, comprising: aplurality of stages, each stage comprising a plurality of multiplexersand a plurality of D-type flip-flops (DFFs) coupled theretocorrespondingly; wherein outputs of a first stage are provided to inputsof a second stage to selectively reorder parameters based on changes inscan lines of the ultrasonic system; wherein the set of orderedparameters comprises a set of reception parameters, wherein theultrasonic front-end is connected between a probe and a detector andincludes a reception beamformer configured to store the set of receptionparameters corresponding to respective RC number of reception channels,wherein the reordered parameters comprise the reception parameters,wherein the ultrasonic front-end device is compatible with P types ofreception channels where P is an integer larger than or equal to 1,wherein RC=[N, 2N, 3N, . . . , P*N] where N is an integer larger than orequal to 1, and wherein each stage comprises P*N number of 2:1multiplexers followed with respective DFFs; and wherein the receptionbeamformer is configured to provide a binary control parameter C[K, K−1,K−2, . . . , 0] which varies as the scan lines of the ultrasonic systemchange, wherein each bit of the binary control parameter C[K, K−1, K−2,. . . , 0] controls P*N 2:1 multiplexers at a corresponding stage,wherein the digital reordering unit comprises K+1 stages, 2^(K+1)>=P*N,K being an integer larger than or equal to zero, and wherein inputs atthe first stage comprise the reception parameters for the RC receptionchannels.
 22. An ultrasonic front-end device, comprising: an ultrasonictransmission part for emitting pulses to activate currently selectedtransmission array elements in a probe of an ultrasonic system totransmit ultrasonic waves; and an ultrasonic reception part forreceiving electric signals from currently selected reception arrayelements in the probe, the received electric signals having an orderbased on the currently selected reception array elements, the receivedelectric signals corresponding to echoes of the transmitted ultrasonicwaves, the ultrasonic reception part comprising a first digitalreordering unit for reordering the received electrical signals, thefirst digital reordering unit comprising: a plurality of stages, eachstage comprising a plurality of multiplexers and a plurality of D-typeflip-flops (DFFs) coupled thereto correspondingly; wherein the receivedelectric signals are applied to inputs of a first stage according to theorder based on the currently selected reception array elements, andwherein outputs of the first stage are provided to inputs of a secondstage to selectively reorder the received electrical signals based onchanges in scan lines of the ultrasonic system; M number of high-voltageisolation circuits, wherein M represents a number of array elements inthe probe of the ultrasonic system; M number of low-voltage analogswitches electrically connected to the M high-voltage isolationcircuits, the M low-voltage analog switches configured to connect RCnumber of the array elements in the probe to RC number of respectivereception channels in the ultrasonic reception part as the scan lines ofthe ultrasonic diagnostic system change; a network of resistorselectrically connected to the M low-voltage analog switches; RC numberof amplifiers electrically connected to the network of resistors, thenetwork of resistors comprising M number of inputs IN[1, 2, 3, . . . ,M] connected to respective outputs of the M low-voltage analog switchesand RC number of outputs OUT[1, 2, . . . , RC] connected to respectiveinputs of the RC amplifiers; RC number of analog-to-digital converters(ADCs) electrically connected to the RC amplifiers; and a receptionbeamformer electrically connected to the RC ADCs, the receptionbeamformer comprising the first digital reordering unit and configuredfor beamforming the reordered electrical signals.